Soapweed's Ranch Ramblings
The writings of a Nebraska Sandhills cattle rancher!





Christmas Greetings
from the Soapweed Outfit
Dec 17, 2005

Merry Christmas, everyone, I’ve procrastinated long enough.
My better half’s good nature is turning stern and tough.
So here I sit, with pen in hand, and paper white as snow,
Trying to write a Christmas poem, with words that rhyme and flow.
Another year has come and gone, they seem to move so fast.
God’s precious gift of Time has immense value unsurpassed.
When you’re five, a year is twenty percent of your whole life.
But at fifty, each year is only two percent, and that explains the strife.

Ranching is our livelihood--both occupation and hobby.
Lots of time spent horseback keeps our knees from getting knobby.
Being stewards of the range and keepers of God’s cattle,
Gives purpose to our lives, and prevents dust upon the saddle.
We put up hay in the summertime, and feed it this time of year.
The cows appreciate our efforts; their gratitude seems sincere.
When the calves sell in the fall, that’s when we reap our reward,
And lately, great cattle prices have struck a happy chord.

As the saying goes, all work and no play is not the thing to do,
So in August we traveled to check out what Alaska had to view.
Peach, Kosmo, and I rode a jet from Denver to Salt Lake.
And on to Anchorage, modern travel is a piece of cake.
We rented a car, with Talkeetna our next destination.
A float plane took us to a mountain lake, for fishing and relaxation.
It was very peaceful--just a guide and us three from Nebraska.
The big country of the Sandhills is small compared to Alaska.

We camped one night, hiked a bit, and the fishing was really fun.
The pilot remembered to pick us up as he flew his next day’s run.
We drove the car and saw some sights; the mountains were very tall.
Looking up at their majesty, I felt like a gnat on a bathroom wall.
Peach and Kos did the kayak thing, and mastered the Eskimo roll.
As water is not my cup of tea, not drowning was my main goal.
After sightseeing for a couple more days, at Fairbanks we returned the car.
Riding the train back to Anchorage, we traveled opposite from the North Star.

Arriving back in Colorado, we decided to go visit our daughter.
She lives up in the mountains, has joined a cult and is in deep, deep water.
She used to be so nifty, no sweeter nicer gal could there ever be.
But now she claims she knows us not, we sure miss our Sweet Pea.
Once again, we were denied. She stayed barricaded in the compound.
The house looks like a fort with a ten-foot high fence clear around.
We are praying for her safety and that someday she will clear her head.
At the present time, it’s “blonde moments” that she’s dealing with instead.

First son and wife are doing fine. Son's welding business is a booming deal.
Just recently they’ve bought a nice house, with quiet location of much appeal.
She graduates tomorrow night, from Chadron College to the west.
Her hard work and diligence have paid off well, to that we will attest.
Kos keeps us hopping, wears a big grin, and he’s a good kid with friends galore.
He stands six foot two, is strong as an ox, and a football tackler hard to ignore.
He went to Kentucky with the FFA, to their national convention this year.
This trip he enjoyed very much; maybe someday agriculture will be his career.

My dad is staying busy, and enjoys writing and visiting friends.
He puts his thoughts on paper, knowledge through the ages transcends.
Peach’s mom is still young at heart and active, with projects that abound.
She is a real prayer warrior, and has positive influence on everyone around.
Guess this about sums up what we have been doing this past year.
It’s always a roller-coaster ride, but with Christ we will persevere.
Merry Christmas to all of you, and we pray this next year treats you fine.
Keep the wind at your back, and may the sun upon you shine.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Soapweed, Peach Blossom and the Kosmo Kid.

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2005 Steve Moreland
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